Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)

Blackpool suffered flooding damage in 2010, 2012 and 2013. It was agreed that a flood relief programme would be put in place. Environmental impact studies were carried out and presented by the Office of Public Works, OPW, to the Department of public expenditure. There was a judicial review in 2021, but the environmental impact study was left on someone's desk for 12 months in the Department of public expenditure, and by the time it came to act on it, it was out of date, so it was back to the drawing board.

A new report has been given to the OPW. My understanding is that the OPW has now sent it on to the Department of public expenditure. I do not want it to be sitting on someone's desk again for 12 months. In this area now people cannot sell property. They can only sell to cash purchasers because no bank will lend to anyone who wants to buy property in this area because they cannot get flood relief insurance. I ask that this project be given priority and that it is not delayed further. It is 12 years on from the decision being taken, and no action has been taken.

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